I disabled My VSC/TRAC

[Zackaroo]

Just to let you all know that I disabled my VSC/TRAC control 2 days ago and my 01 Sequoia is doing just fine again. I know I won't have these functions anymore but the SUV brakes just fine without it and I don't have to contend with it screwing up on me every other day and possibly causing me to wreck. I just pulled the connector out of the brake master cylinder and put some tape over the connectors. The VSC/TRAC lights on the dash are on but who cares? It beats paying $$$$$ for a VSC computer thats just going to go bad again.

[SUPRALSX]

i guess thats one way of doing it. I hate when i have amber mil's on so that would get annoying. just my .02.

[JBH1989]

Good luck explaining that one to the insurance company when your brakes lock up and you skid into a schoolbus full of kindergarten children...as they drop you like a fly.

To each his own I guess. If you can't afford to fix it right you shouldn't be driving it though.

[aspenh1]

My VSC keeps kicking in going around corners. My truck is lifted about 4" and I have not been able to get it corrected. It is sometimes dangerous because when it kicks in it applies the brakes to the side I am turning. It would be nice if I could turn just the VSC and not the anti-lock brakes off. Suggestions?

[Zackaroo]

As for that last reply by the 19 year old Automotive Electrical Specialist/ASE Certified Brake Technician,why don't you provide some answers on this forum relating to this issue. Being that you have probably 1 year of work experience you may not remember when vehicles could actually be brought to a stop without ABS or VSC. If Toyota and their techs would have diagnosed this problem promptly and stood behind their product, this issue would have been resolved long ago,like when you were 10 or 11. I'll rely on my Sequoias hydraulics and remove the intermittent electronics.

[guyaverage]

The kids in the school bus will be fine. The person who is going to be killed is the poor schmuck driving one of our Sequoias that happens to hit a small patch of gravel while accelerating, who then loses all power for 3-4 seconds meanwhile said school bus plows into US from behind because of the hypersensitive (and unreliable) design of this system.

When the day comes when my VSC light comes on, the light is getting removed and the plug is getting pulled.

He can probably afford his Sequoia just fine. He probably doesnt have $2500 to spend on a $12 circuit board.

[Zackaroo]

Well said GUYAVERAGE. The loss of power in sand or gravel has got me a few times over the years when I have been trying to accellerate, causing some concern about getting out of someones way! And yes, money is not an issue here, but paying $$$$ for something that I would rather do without and will probably go bad again anyway makes no sense to me.

[JBH1989]

Originally Posted by Zackaroo

As for that last reply by the 19 year old Automotive Electrical Specialist/ASE Certified Brake Technician,why don't you provide some answers on this forum relating to this issue. Being that you have probably 1 year of work experience you may not remember when vehicles could actually be brought to a stop without ABS or VSC. If Toyota and their techs would have diagnosed this problem promptly and stood behind their product, this issue would have been resolved long ago,like when you were 10 or 11. I'll rely on my Sequoias hydraulics and remove the intermittent electronics.

Well Zackaroo, considering I drive a 19 year old truck without ABS and TCS and VSC that's very light over the rear driving axle and that I've had spin around on me, I guess I would say I could remember driving without crutches. Most people can remember, but it doesn't mean that they can drive without it. The vehicles are designed to work as a system, if you take out something the rest of the vehicle relies on, you're getting into trouble. The ABS unit has replaced valves like the proportioning valve you had on older vehicles to keep the rear brakes from locking up. They must have done something right, because all of the 2003+ I drive/own/work on constantly (at least 6) don't have any VSC problems.

Just because you say you can drive it fine, if your insurance company found out you purposely removed a safety device, they won't be pleased. Neither will the people you (god forbid) might run into or into you or the highway patrol. You live in the Litigious States of America, you're opening yourself up big time.

As for the comment about my age and work experience, if you knew me you probably wouldn't have made a stupid remark. That's okay though, I'm used to cranky people. I'm used to people buying 7-series BMWs and S-class Mercedes at auction for $7k and think they're getting a deal and then balk when the car NEEDs 4k in work to be safe to drive. Expensive cars are expensive to fix. Sequoias aren't cheap. As for why don't I post? I don't work on these stupid things often enough to know this kind of stuff.

[pewter05]

The vehicles are designed to work as a system, if you take out something the rest of the vehicle relies on, you're getting into trouble.

The vehicle does not rely on VSC-it's an add-on.

The ABS unit has replaced valves like the proportioning valve you had on older vehicles to keep the rear brakes from locking up.

My 2005 Sequoia has ABS and VSC and yet it still has a proportioning valve. You're proving that you don't know what you are talking about.

They must have done something right, because all of the 2003+ I drive/own/work on constantly (at least 6) don't have any VSC problems

It only takes a few minutes of reading on this forum to realize that the VSC system has known issues.

Just because you say you can drive it fine, if your insurance company found out you purposely removed a safety device, they won't be pleased. Neither will the people you (god forbid) might run into or into you or the highway patrol. You live in the Litigious States of America, you're opening yourself up big time.

I don't even know where to start with this comment...

[JBH1989]

Originally Posted by pewter05

The vehicle does not rely on VSC-it's an add-on.


My 2005 Sequoia has ABS and VSC and yet it still has a proportioning valve. You're proving that you don't know what you are talking about.


It only takes a few minutes of reading on this forum to realize that the VSC system has known issues.


I don't even know where to start with this comment...

Really, where is the proportioning valve? I can't find documentation on it? I just climbed under my truck and followed the two brake lines from the ABS control unit all the way back to each wheel caliper. There aren't any valves. Neither are they in the front lines. It would be pointless to include on a vehicle with 4 channel ABS. The Tundra has a load sensing proportioning valve, but that's because it has a 3 channel ABS system with rear drums, and can actually modulate the single rear brake line versus the dual rear brake lines the Sequoia has. Maybe it does though. Like I said, I don't work on these enough to know them in and out. VSC is part of the ABS system, when there is an error in the VSC, ABS is disabled and vice versa. Although the computer is separate, nothing on a late model vehicle is truly an "add-on", everything is integrated. This isn't a 1995 Isuzu Rodeo where you actually get better braking by disabling the ABS and where they did include conventional brake valving. By disabling one or the other, you are going to cause issues in the rest of the system. The VSC system does have issues in the early models, I don't disagree. The later models have seem to have fixed the issue, so the thought that Toyota hasn't done anything isn't true.

To those with issues, have you had a zero point calibration done? What where the error codes before the system was disabled?

Anyways, I've made enough of an *** of myself. My whole opinion is from a professional standpoint, I can't just disable something because the customer doesn't want it fixed right; there is a ton of liability. Unfortunately, "shadetree mechanics" can do whatever they want.

[Rick77]

This conversation is real interesting because the other day ,when I was towing my tent trailer on some real hairpin turns up and down grades it chattered and beeped at me for the first time since I bought it, and scared the crap out of me, I thought the wheel fell off or something at first, but there was no brakes for a few seconds, and I felt totally out of control. My question is when you are in a situation like that, can you turn off the VSC with that button next to the 4wd and be fine until your in a normal driving position again? My next question is, what is a zero calibration test? will it reset the computer for a lifted sequioa? kind of like getting a re-alighment after bigger tires, as an example? I need to do something before we get killed. Thanks ~Rick

[Zackaroo]

When my VSC/TRAC lights come on and it starts beeping, pushing the TRAC OFF button did not do anything so I doubt yours will either.I can't answer your other questions.

[Rick77]

I had time to think about it, in my situation, I think it is actually doing what it is supposed to, because I have a 2.5 lift,and airlift 1000 airsprings in the coils for trailer sag when towing, and a combination of sharp turns and grades, I think it was pushing me around when braking. I just wish I knew exactly how that system worked before it went in to action "Cause it skeered the livin' @#$% me"! It would be nice to know if you could overide it in situations like that before you go down hills and grades. I am just wondering if all the brakes pause for a few seconds when that is happening, or just the wheel that is slipping, because it felt like there was nothing while it was chattering?

[JBH1989]

VSC is always on above 16mph, below that you can disable it. Unfortunately it's not like BMW or other German imports with a real on / off switch.

[Rick77]

HMMM?... I am wondering if the right Guy, or "Service tech", could hack his way in to the "ECU" and change that speed/disable setting to like, oh lets say 55mph or so?...HMMMM?